The Challenge Factory discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
♦SS Archives♦
>
R3: SS Sixy Book Babes (6)
message 151:
by
Tara
(new)
Sep 12, 2014 06:38AM
Guess I'm going to read Betting on Grace...#1 in series. Have a great week ladies!
reply
|
flag
Got it! Everyone's been added. Enjoy your books/weeks!
I've already finished the read just forgot to post my pick. :-p I'll write the review tonight or tomorrow.
Shelby wrote: "I've already finished the read just forgot to post my pick. :-p I'll write the review tonight or tomorrow."Great! :)
Cait's Week Three Review
by Sarah Addison AllenDate Finished: 9/13/2014
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Oh I wish this book was a series! There's something stopping me from giving it five stars, the fact that it didn't just completely rock my world/change me/make me want to scream or cry or laugh hysterically. But it was SUCH an enjoyable read. Ironically, it was much like eating a piece of really good cake. Just light and wonderful and makes you happy.
I really only have one complaint and that was the quick switch in Julia and Sawyer's relationship towards the late middle of the book. I didn't really understand it and it seemed sudden and without much actual reason. Maybe when you have that kind of history, it's just more complicated and works differently, I don't know.
But other than that one thing, no complaints. If you need a feel good book, I really can't name a better one that I've read recently
Week 3 - Spot 19The Good Fight by Andrew Grey
Read: 9/12
Rating: ★★★★
This story was really sweet and also dealt with a serious social justice issue as well. One not even connected to gay culture. This story is also dealing with custody issues within the Native American community. There was a really nice blend of the romantic elements of the story and the social commentary. I really enjoyed Jerry and John’s romance as both were lovely guys looking for something more in their lives.
Jerry Lincoln moved back to Sioux Falls to help his grandfather at the end of his life. The move came at the perfect time in his life, he needed to leave San Francisco anyway to get away from some issues. Staying in Sioux Falls after his grandfather’s death though was never the initial plan. Yet his company has been doing well and as he owns an IT consulting business he can work anywhere. Now he’s got more work than he can handle and it’s time to think about hiring himself some help.
John Black Raven is proud of the job he’s done putting himself through college and getting his AA. He’s taught himself a lot of what he knows about computers. While he’s never had a job in an IT field yet, he’s confident in his skills. The chance to work with Jerry is incredible and his attraction to the man more than a bit distracting. The temptation isn’t one he’s sure he can make a move on though as his focus in life has to be on gaining custody of his sister’s children who were placed in foster care after her death.
I really enjoyed these two together. Both men were mellow and not without their own issues, but they complimented each other well. Their strengths were offset and allowed them to be each other’s support system when they needed it. I really enjoyed how nonjudgmental Jerry was and his willingness to just throw himself into helping John right the wrong done his family in the run around the state is giving John in getting his niece and nephew into his custody.
The biggest reason this story looses a star for me is the shift in tone about half way through the story. The first half is all about the IT business and what is going on in Jerry’s life, where he comes from, what he’s looking for out of life. After he gets over his hesitation to go for the chance with John though everything switches to John’s problems. While we don’t see a lot of the Indian culture in John’s background his focus is on preserving that for his niece and nephew. Suddenly everything is about the oppression being forced on the Native American populace by a corrupt government office seeking to benefit from the financial gain removing Indian children from their homes gives them. While I appreciated the social justice aspects of this story, I just wish everything had been a little bit better integrated. The switch was drastic without any balance between the two. I would have liked to see more of the IT bleed into the custody battle and the custody battle into the office.
The secondary characters in this story were lovely and rich as well though. I enjoyed John and Bryce’s friendly relationship in the office and Jerry’s friendships with the other openly gay couple in town. It was a bit more than coincidental though that every character we like in this story other than the women are all gay. I would have enjoyed at least one straight man standing up for what is right.
Mr. Grey does do a good job though of presenting his social justice agenda in a non preaching manner. He presents things in a clear picture without making the reader feel like they are being talked down to, preached at, or condemned. He’s brought the reader’s attention to an issue that is morally repugnant and made it clear how wrong the idea is. I appreciated that this wasn’t just an issue of gay rights but a human rights issue.
Altogether this story is lovingly told with very sweet likeable characters. I enjoyed both the MC’s and their relationship as well as the host of secondary characters and the children. It’s a light easy read that still manages to present the issues it deals with in a clear concise light without needing to beat the reader over the head with them. I enjoyed the book very much and will look to read more in the future.
Great review, Shelby! Added it to the post.
Week ThreeWhat We Rolled: 4
We Are On Spot: 19
What You Can Read:
- a stand alone book
- book #1 in a series ✓ Betting on Grace
- book #9 in a series
- book #19 in a series
- a book with a title that starts with "N"
★ ★ ★ ★ I read Betting on Grace by Nicole Edwards. This is a new series by the author (another of my favorites). The story tells of Grace, one of 5 daughters who help their widowed father run their family ranch (Dead Heat Ranch).
Grace has spent years trying to avoid Ranch foreman Grant, since her father has forbidden any of the wranglers to date his daughters, yet Grace has secretly been interested in Grant for as long as she can remember. In the prequel to book 1 Boots Optional, we learn how Grace and Grant (and Lane) come together to form a relationship between the 3 of them, and book 1 picks up a few months later and explores their relationship, including how they are tired of hiding what they mean to each other. The book also helps the 3 main characters understand what it means to be in a relationship as they each help one another with personal issues, and realize they can lean on each other for help (something none of the 3 of them have ever really had).
I enjoy the way the author tells her stories from multiple POVs.. Throughout all of her books, she goes back and forth between the various main characters telling the story, but also uses some the sub-characters to do the same. Since the future books will focus on other main characters, it also helps to learn more about them before their story becomes the main focus. I am definitely looking forward to this series and seeing where these characters go. If you enjoy a steamy, smoking hot book, often with a little taboo thrown in, you should check out this author!
UPDATE Message # 147 - Week 3 book completed 16Sept14
Updated :) Another good week, everyone! Couple more days and we'll get another roll. Hopefully a better on than last week :D
Hey NancyHelen, just checking in and seeing how your book is going! I hope you're enjoying it enough to read the second one. That's the last review we need for the week so if it comes in any time today the roll will be up at midnight central tonight. Otherwise I'll post it tomorrow whenever we've got all our reviews.
Hiya - sorry, silly me for choosing a 480 page book! But I should have it done within the next couple of hours. I've just handed baby over to hubby who has just got home from work. Once both the children are asleep I can get the last 80 odd pages done. I am absolutely loving it! If you reckon the second one is even better I can not wait to read it.
No worries at all! I know you've got your hands full over there :) I'm so glad you're liking it. Hopefully the second one lives up to my rave reviews!
Cait wrote: "No worries at all! I know you've got your hands full over there :) I'm so glad you're liking it. Hopefully the second one lives up to my rave reviews!"That book does look good! I had to put yet another book on my TBR list....thanks people....this is supposed to help me get rid of books on my shelves, not add more! :-)
by Tana FrenchFinished: 18 Sep 14
Rating: ★★★★★
What a fantastic first book of a series! Rob Ryan was one of three children involved in an unsolved mystery in 1984 when his two best friends disappeared. More than 20 years later, he's now a detective working on a murder of another girl in the same small town outside of Dublin. Past and present mix for Rob who is fabulously flawed and very real. Right from the beginning, I was drawn into this book by his voice, and I loved the banter between him and his partner, Cassie. The story is thrilling, sad an completely engrossing. I can't wait for the next one.
Got it! Yay! I'm so thrilled that you enjoyed that book.
Hopefully we get a great roll tonight and we all get good books again next week. We all had 4-5 star books this week which I guess makes up for having such a bad number lol
Week FourWhat We Rolled: 11
We Are On Spot: 30
What You Can Read:
- book #3 in a series
- book #30 in a series
- a stand alone novel
- a book with a Blue cover (at least 50%)
Shelby- Traitor's Moon by Lynn Flewelling :: #3 :: Review
Book Concierge- The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel by Deborah Moggach :: Stand Alone :: Review
NancyHelen- Murder on the Leviathan by Boris Akunin :: #3 :: Review
Tara- The Best Friend by Leanne Davis :: #3 :: Review
Cait- Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson :: Stand Alone :: Review
First of all- WOOHOO! I got a 6 and a 5 and I had to recount the dice three times before I believed it. *pets the dice* Good dice.Second- NancyHelen, I cannot believe we managed to somehow get a number that doesn't let you read The Likeness for it! I hope you read it sometime anyway but of all the rolls we get like one of the TWO that would throw that off haha I guess that's the way it goes.
I will see you ladies in the morning! Have fun picking your books!
Cait wrote: "First of all- WOOHOO! I got a 6 and a 5 and I had to recount the dice three times before I believed it. *pets the dice* Good dice.Second- NancyHelen, I cannot believe we managed to somehow get a ..."
I can't believe it either! What were the chances?! Still, it is a really good big roll. I think I'll read Murder on the Leviathan which is #3 in the Erast Fandorin series
Week 4 / rolled 11 / Now on Spot # 30Reading a Standalone
✔ 21Sept14The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel by Deborah Moggach
2.5**
Several British retirees move to Bangalore after falling for the promises made in a promotional video for s a new type of retirement community, in a country where the elderly are revered. The novel features quite a collection of characters, but it felt disjointed and not fully developed. I was intrigued by the premise and, much like the characters in the book, seduced by the promises of the movie version. On the whole I did not find the book particularly entertaining or charming.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I'm going to be reading Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer by Patrick Süskind, which is a stand alone novel.
Everyone's been added! Hope we all have another good book this week!
Well that book was painful so I am swapping. Going to be reading Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson instead.
Cait's Week 4 Review
by Jeanette WintersonDate Finished: 9/20/2014
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
I'm realizing more and more lately that I just shouldn't read "the classics"...ever, for any reason. I don't know if it's asking too much to want to be told a story when reading a book. Maybe it is. But that's all I want. Tell me a story. Don't meander along, rambling about everything under the sun for pages and pages and sometimes getting back on track but not very often.
I just can't get into these train of thought type books. They bore me to no end and I always regret them.
That being said, while it is all true about this particular book, I related to having psychotic religious family and neighbors so that's where the second star comes in. Without that, it probably would have been one. I just hate having to sludge through constant drivel to get to any point at all and I felt like that's what I was doing 99% of this book.
I always feel like I should apologize when I hate a book that the general population seems to approve of. So. Sorry?
Updated message # 173 - Week 3 book finished, rated and reviewedOn to better books ...
Updated. Sorry you didn't like yours either! Two for two on not so great books this week so far.
Week FourWhat We Rolled: 11
We Are On Spot: 30
What You Can Read:
- book #3 in a series ✓ The Best Friend
- book #30 in a series
- a stand alone novel
- a book with a Blue cover (at least 50%)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ I had previously read the first two books in the Sister Series and found them to be good...they were nice, a little drama, a little steam, but pretty good writing. This book was by far the best so far in the series for me.
The story revolves around Gretchen and a long time friend Tony. Gretchen and Tony have known each other for nearly 20 years (he was her high school sweetheart's best friend from childhood, and thus the 3 of them were inseparable throughout high school). Things have changed over the years, and Gretchen and Tony lost touch for several years, however upon their reunion, she finds that he has changed...drastically.
Tony was a soldier in the US Army, and lost one of his arms in Afghanistan...upon his return, he has become a cold,heartless person. He feels he has nothing to live for since the Army was all he had. When he reunites with Gretchen (whom he has always secretly loved), he treats her just as badly...feeling he is less of a man, and continues to just go through the motions of life.
The book addresses the difficulties and challenges that many of the wounded warriors face, as well as the struggles for their loved ones and what they must assist in helping them deal with (injuries, PTSD, etc). It was very well written, and with some additional challenges that Gretchen and Tony deal with, I often had to keep some tissues close by! At the end of the book, I learned that there are at least 2 more books coming in the series, along with a novella, this made my day!
Woohoo! Someone got a good book, the streak is broken! :D
Cait wrote: "Woohoo! Someone got a good book, the streak is broken! :D"Yes! I always hate reading a book that just isn't good, but feel compelled to finish it for the challenge. Plus, since I got sucked into the SRC, I did all my plotting out for that one and am trying to fit these books into that! Darn you people for getting me hooked on these challenges!!! I should have never asked about it! But it's definitely helping me clean out my TBR list of books I've downloaded and never read so that's been really good.
Hopefully I can keep it up and use one book for multiple challenges! I've tried to plot out most of the books for this one (knowing I'm not really going to have too many series books to read other than #1's and a few #2's so I tried to find books for most of the others for the alternate...some I found multiple I could use, others I couldn't find any I had marked to use for the SRC, so I'm hoping we get some good rolls that work for me! Let's keep it up! Looks like we aren't lagging too far behind some of the other teams in their numbers!
Yeah, I did the same. I'm always trying to pick a book that will fit here that's already on my list for the SRC. But I've had to do a little wiggling around when books have been just too terrible to finish lol BUT YOU ARE WELCOME for getting you hooked on the SRC ;) You're right, we're pretty close. I think the team in first is on spot 35 so we're not too far behind at all.
I did my best for these challenges to NOT purchase any new books for any of the tasks...I am pretty stringent on myself to only download kindle books that are $2.99 or less (free is the best!) with the exception of a few authors that i'll pay more for! Because of this, I have far too many books I see and tell myself "it's only $.99...it's only $1.99....it's free" and get it...then I lose track of what I've purchased and have no organization to the books! That's my next task is to get more organized on my books and categorize them better into genres, etc.There's a few tasks I don't have a book for already (I may have it on my TBR but don't own it) so those tasks will wait until the end and i actually get to them then i'll get the book! Otherwise, I think I have plenty of the tasks accounted for.
My read is finished. Today is insane so I hope to write my review up tomorrow. :)
So far I've managed to use the books for THIS challenge with the current Fall SRC challenge. But I have a couple of series books "in the queue" just in case and at least two of them might not fit anywhere on SRC. Hoping our rolls keep me on track with both this group and SRC. (lucky roll 7 or 12 for next week ... pretty please with a cherry on top)
I'll see what I can do :) I'm really just hoping we don't get a six. I don't have any series at a 3 or a 6 slotted and I dislike the location alternatives, just because some are so not easy to find. Louisiana would be a pain I think. Especially trying to fit it in to SRC on top of it.
I have one I can use for Louisiana, and for the SRC...but some of the other locations I'm struggling with just because not all of the books info indicate a location so I try to work backwards and when I see a description plug it it! I also haven't spent the time to look at any of the years...some I know are newer years so I've got one lined up for 2014, but nothing for any of the other years (although I'm sure I can find something when I need it...luckily I won't need to find a 1999 since we can't roll a 1!).
by Boris Akunin#3 in the Erast Fandorin series
Read: 23.09.14
Rating ★★★★
I heard Boris Akunin (not his real name, but I won't even attempt to write it here!) interviewed about this series and I remember him saying that each book in the series had been written in a different style, trying to emulate the great crime fiction writers of the world. This one, I believe, is in the style of Agatha Christie. It is set in the 1870s. A heinous murder was committed in Paris. There are four suspects, all now travelling on a ship, and the murderer needs to be uncovered before they can kill again. A perfect Christie scenario!
Fandorin, who is brilliant and wonderful and far more intelligent than the French detective who is there to find the murderer, steals the show. He's a combination of Sherlock Holmes, James Bond and Hercule Poirot but with a Russian background and a slight stutter. The book is written as a combination of points of view, newspaper clippings, diary entries and reports which was really entertaining. But best of all, I was guessing until the end.
Week 4 - Spot 30Traitor's Moon by Lynn Flewelling
Read: 9/21
Rating: ★★★★
I find myself struggling a little bit with this one. It’s not that I dislike the series, quite the opposite, but I still find myself just liking it. It doesn’t jump off the page for me and wrap itself around my brain until I can think of little else. This book in particular took a step back for me for most of the book. I kept waiting for the characters I’ve enjoyed to step up and be themselves. While their mental place was understandable it just wasn’t as fun as the other books.
After the horrors they’ve lived through and the injuries and deaths of friends Alec and Seregil have finally acknowledged their feelings for each other. They’ve retreated from the business of the Watchers though and semi-retired out of the lime light. But war continues to rage between Pleminar and Skala and it’s only getting worse. The Pleminarans have become increasingly bold and sent their necromancers at the defending forces of Skala. The war is not going in Skala’s direction and with the queen’s health in jeopardy she’s determined to get the country the help that the need. And she knows the only thing she can do is send her youngest daughter to Aurenen and appeal to the very people who exiled Seregil years before. To win that battle she knows Skala will never succeed without Seregil and Alec in the shadows.
So cutting straight to the chase I do still love Seregil and Alec, I just felt like I was missing them for much of the book. Seregil’s past humiliations and troubles crippled him for so much of this book he was like a different man. All of the pain and growth he’d gone through in the years since he was exiled seemed to almost disappear. And Alec hit almost a stasis trap where without Seregil being adventurous he couldn’t either. I’m happy they’re together but it wasn’t until the last quarter of this book where I felt like I got to see Alec and Seregil being Alec and Seregil.
This story is a lot more political maneuvering than action/adventure. I did find the structure of the Aurenfaie to fascinating and the stunted nature of their culture intriguing to see the disruption everything was bringing to them. Of course the entire group is incredibly hide bound and everything is about honor. The mysticism of the land and the people were fun. I really loved the little dragonets!!!
The side characters in this story were very fun. I really enjoyed Beka in this story and her plot lines were some of my favorites. She’s always been feisty but she’s gaining maturity and wisdom after everything she’s scene. It was nice to see her as a woman grown. I appreciated Seregil’s family as well, those that recognize one childhood mistake, even as one as horrific as what happened, was just that a mistake and that Seregil shouldn’t be condemned for ever for the trouble. Clearly we’re going to get some devious bad guyness in the future from Ulan a Sathil. He’s the perfect sort of villain, crazy intelligent and smarily charming on the surface, but underneath you know it’s all just rotten. Love it!
So for the first probably two thirds of this book I was just going through, cruising along and waiting for something to happen. As the intrigue started bubbling up to the surface and things started rolling my attention was more and more drawn in. By the last quarter I was flying with Alec and Seregil as they battled to save their country and gain them the aid the needed while hoping to keep their own lives at the same time.
I know at some point I will finish this series. I’m curious to see where it goes, but I do wish I felt like the storylines were more connected. I’m never sure where the next book is going to start and it makes it harder for me to want to pick it up. There is a feeling of completion at the end of these stories with very few dangling plot teases to pull you back in. I enjoy these stories, but again, I’m not head over heels in love.
That's everyone! Great job, ladies! Another week down. See you all tomorrow at midnight for our next roll. Hopefully the dice love us as much as they did last week.
Week FiveWhat We Rolled: 10
We Are On Spot: 40
What You Can Read:
-book #4 in a series
-book #40 in a series
-a stand alone novel
-a book with a title that begins with "O"
Shelby- High Fidelity by M. Chandler :: #4 :: Review
Book Concierge- The Railway Children by E. Nesbit :: Stand Alone :: Review
NancyHelen- You've Been Warned by James Patterson :: Stand Alone :: Review
Tara- Nash by Jay Crownover :: #4 :: Review
Cait- Pet Sematary by Stephen King :: Stand Alone :: Review
Holy cow at these back to back double digit weeks! Wow! Got a 5+5 and my eyes almost bugged out of my head lolBack to bed for me! See you ladies in a few hours.
Okay I couldn't go to sleep without picking my book lolThis week I'm going to be reading
by Stephen King.
Nice roll! I never read Pet Sematary but remember how much the movie creeper me out! I'll have my pick in the morning..left my plotted out list at work so will have to post in the morning! Nite, all!
Cait wrote: "Okay I couldn't go to sleep without picking my book lolThis week I'm going to be reading
by Stephen King."Ooo - this is one of the scariest books I have ever read. Although I was 16 when I read it last. I wonder if it is just as scary now?
Can I ask a question before I decide? Does the stand-alone have to be one complete novel, or could it be a book of short stories like Close Range: Brokeback Mountain and Other stories? If not, I'll choose something else...
I'm really not sure, NancyHelen. I know if you read a short story book you have to review all the stories. I'd go over and ask Jenne in the discussion thread just to be sure.Also ohhh, I am EXCITED now! I hope it's as scary as you remember. I love horror books.
Week 5 / rolled 10 / Now on Spot # 40Reading a Standalone
✔ - 27Sept14The Railway Children by E Nesbit – 4****
This is a delightful classic of children’s literature. Uprooted from their suburban home to a smaller country cottage, Roberta, Peter and Phyllis make the best of things and try their best to not add to Mother’s worries. I love how inventive they are in their play, and how they display loyalty, courage and compassion. I’d read Nesbit’s Five Children and It series when I was in middle school, but never read any of her other works. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
The Challenge Factory
Books mentioned in this topic
Maura's Game (other topics)Dark Places (other topics)
Girl in a Blue Dress: A Novel Inspired by the Life and Marriage of Charles Dickens (other topics)
Long Time Gone (other topics)
Long Time Gone (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Gaynor Arnold (other topics)S.E. Jakes (other topics)
S.E. Jakes (other topics)
Martina Cole (other topics)
Isaac Asimov (other topics)
More...
